On February 1, 2017 Boeing rolled out the first 787-10 Dreamliner from it's final assembly facility in North Charleston, SC. ZC001 (LN 528, N528ZC) was taken to Bay 1 of the newly opened paint hangar where it will get it's coat of paint and perhaps get some ground testing done as well. It will be powered by Roll Royce's Trent 1000-TEN engines currently undergoing certification testing on the fourth 787-8, ZA004 (LN 004, N7874). This aircraft just recently returned from Victorville, Ca and is now flying around Colorado Springs. Given the increased tempo of test flights with the new Trent engines, it seems that Boeing is gearing up for the B1 flight very soon.
The 1st 787-9 conducted its B1 flight 24 days after being rolled out of Everett's 40-26 building. Right now preliminary information indicates a flight for ZC001 around March but I suspect that it could take place late this month though this date is all dependent on the ground gauntlet testing that is required prior to the first flight.
Still the -10 is a simple stretch of the 787-9 and has 95% commonality with its smaller sibling thus this initial testing should go smoothly given Boeing's experience with building and flying the 787-9. My prediction for a range of first flight dates is between February 21 and March 7.
In the meanwhile Boeing should begin assembly on ZC036 (LN 548) around the third week of February. This will be the 2nd 787-10 to fly and the first equipped with GEnx-1B engines. To me it seems that Boeing is executing extremely well on the 787-10 thus far but the year long test flight program is still lie ahead which can uncover unknown unknowns.
Friday, February 3, 2017
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9 comments:
Thanks, Uresh. It sounds like this program (and Charleston in general) is doing well. A question for you or the group. Will this airframe fly with the same engines that are being tested on LN4 or new engines of the same model? thanks...
Do you think that Boeing will try to get this plane to the Paris Air Show this summer? I would think so because that could be the key to loosening the Emirates order into reality. Not to mention that would be a good time for announcing huge orders. Also is there any word on increasing the range of this plane to be more like the 9 variant? I imagine that could really entice the long distance carriers but I wonder if they dont want to eat into the 777 market?
New Trest 1000-TEN. It's already has its engines hanging off the wings.
I wouldn't count on it at being at any airshows. They're just getting started on the test program at that point. Perhaps Dubai in November but certainly not Paris.
Geez, it should be at Paris. Why not? If it's simple stretch--which it is--it needs to be out on every ramp it can find. It and the Max should be "making the rounds". You have been reading of the severe order drought for widebodies, correct? Well ,like they say "don't hide your lamp under a basket." A sense of urgency should prevail at BA in 2017!
Flight testing take priority over marketing. No flight testing, no FAA certification, no deliveries to customers.
I live NE of COS. This afternoon around 12:35 I heard a roar from the East and sure enough - BOE784 roared (and I mean roared) overheard from E to W at about 1000-1200 feet overhead. Very impressive. Thanks for your post - it all makes sense now, why this beautiful bird was in COS (engine testing).
Thanks Uresh for your blog. :)
Great post! Thanks for the info
It makes sense for a convergence of 787 at the Dubai airshow for the 787-10 program where key players will announce long after the Paris ice cream stand.
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